As used herein, the term drone is intended to refer to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). While the term drone may be a misnomer, at least in some cases, it has nonetheless become a common term by which the general public refers to such vehicles.
As the more formal UAV name suggests, a drone excludes an onboard human pilot. Instead, drones may be controlled remotely—such as from the ground—or may operate autonomously by way of onboard electronics and programming. Drones may vary in design and size from, for example and without limitation, large fixed-wing aircraft typically employed in military applications, to reduced scale fixed-wing aircraft and to rotor-craft such as helicopters, quad-copters, etc., which are more commonly operated by the non-military public.
The use of aerial drones is becoming increasingly popular for both recreational and non-recreational purposes. Because many drones are equipped with cameras that permit aerial views of points or events of interest, recreational drone use is on the rise. Likewise, the ability to aerially monitor property, agriculture, facilities, infrastructure, etc., has made the non-recreational use of drones increasingly popular. Non-military government use is also expected to grow, as drones may be well-suited to monitor or investigate incidents such as fires or the gathering of crowds, to track criminals, to patrol national borders, for aerial mapping, in movie-making, and even to deliver goods. A multitude of other uses are, of course, also possible.
A common trait among all drones, regardless of the particular design or use of a given drone, is the need for a power source. A drone can only stay aloft as long as the supplied power source is able to power the drone's propulsion system. Consequently, a known drone powered by liquid or gaseous fuel or by an electrical energy storage device, will typically need to periodically land and replenish or recharge its power source.
Like most mechanical devices, drones also typically require diagnostic analysis, maintenance and repair. Drones frequently include a multitude of moving parts, including for example, engines or motors, props or rotors, drive means, and servos. Drones further include various electronics which may, for example, allow for the remote or autonomous flight thereof, permit the taking of video or still images, or control other functionality with which a drone may be equipped.
From the foregoing description, it can easily be understood or envisioned that in certain cases it may be desirable to employ multiple drones, such as a fleet of drones, and to keep said drones airborne as continuously as possible. This may be particularly desirable in a military or other non-recreational setting, where the drones perform surveillance or monitoring of areas or situations that are dynamic in nature, or in the case where the drones are used to deliver goods or other items and downtime may lead to lost revenue.
Consequently, as drone use increases, there is a corresponding increasing need to provide systems and methods through which drones may be based and/or sheltered, refueled or recharged, serviced, and otherwise kept flying, in a highly efficient and flexible manner. Exemplary system and method embodiments described and shown herein are such systems and methods.